


Silk Pyjamas

by Dgcakes (ficsnfun)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:57:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4055725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficsnfun/pseuds/Dgcakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merrill and Hawke go on an ‘adventure’ through town in the middle of the night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silk Pyjamas

**Author's Note:**

> Playfully inspired by (and named for) the song Silk Pyjamas by Thomas Dolby.

Aeyin Hawke was sitting up, craned over the dinner table and attempting to finish an essay that just was not coming. He grumbled quietly to himself and glanced up at the darkened upper floors, where his bed was calling his name. To his surprise, the man spotted a glowing pair of green eyes on the staircase. The man jumped a bit in his seat, making probably a little more noise than he’d have liked.

“Ooh, did I scare you? I’m sorry.” Merrill’s soft voice came from the staircase and she wandered hesitantly closer to Hawke in the darkness.

Aeyin breathed a soft sigh of relief, “Nah, Merrill, you just startled me. What’s up? I thought you went to bed early. You have classes in the morning, don’t you?” he pulled up a chair next to his for the Dalish girl to sit down. She certainly seemed more fidgety than normal, even in the dim light of his reading lamp.

Merrill took the seat, hands in her lap, “Oh I know. I do. I did. It’s just – how’s anyone sleep in a city like this? There’s so much noise and it’s one thing if there’s something else to listen to like music or Isabela snoring into her pillow but-” she wrung her hands in the fabric of her nightdress. “I woke up and all I could hear was strange noises and she’s out tonight and there’s so many things I need to be studying and working on, so many morning things to do and I can’t even sleep right – it’s a little odd, you know? No of course you don’t, I’m sure. I’m sorry. I’m rambling.”

“Merrill, did you have a nightmare?” Hawke asked, taking in the bits and pieces of what she was saying. Nightmares and anxiety and probably a bit of homesickness. He knew the feeling pretty well. He laid an arm just slightly on the back of her chair, opening his posture in case she wanted a hug.

“Yes?” the Dalish girl’s ears drooped as she leaned against his chest, sighing softly into the fabric of his shirt. “If I have them, normally Isabela says its alright to cuddle up with her but she’s not here tonight and I can’t get back to sleep – I keep thinking about things, and stuff and where it all is and then I hear a sound and it makes me jumpy, I hate it. This is all…very unnerving.”

He didn’t like seeing his friends in such a state, even if coming up with reasonable ideas for what to do about such things had long been lost to him. Hawke held Merrill in a gentle hug and let his eyes scan the room, trying to think of something, anything. Suddenly, he spotted his wallet on the table – he’d been planning a walk to get coffee or something hours ago, just to stretch his legs mid-essay. Maybe…maybe now was a better time.

“Come on Merrill, let’s go out for a little.” he said, nudging her to sit up. “Just let me grab my shoes and we’ll go for a walk and get something to eat, there’s bound to be somewhere open all night.”

Her already wide eyes opened considerably wider, staring at Hawke in surprise, “What, now? We would look mighty silly, don’t you think?”

Looking down at her silky nightdress and matching pants – a present from Isabela that didn’t quite fit her proportions right – then at his own pj bottoms and tank top, they really would look quite a sight outside. But then again, they were fully grown college students and had every right to look a mess wandering around town at – he glanced briefly at the clock – 4 in the morning.

“Don’t worry about it, Merrill, it’ll be an adventure.” He gave her a devious grin and a bounce of his brows, “Tell you what, I’ll bring my hoodie for you if you get cold and you can ride on my shoulders for a bit if you like. Let’s just go cheer up.”

She stared at him for a few moments, and Aeyin was almost sure she was going to refuse till a small smile broke carefully over the girl’s features. “That sounds wonderful, Hawke.”

–

Somewhere after last call outside a bar downtown, Isabela stumbled outside and stared around, wondering where she wanted to head to next. Tomorrow was her day off from classes and she was not wasting a minute of time for partying if she could help it. However, something she spotted in her tipsy state became quite a bit more attractive than finding a new place to drink.

There was a figure walking along the main street, attracting a lot of looks – probably for its hulking height and weird proportions. Peering at it a bit longer, Isabela actually realized that was because there was a tall man with skinny legs and a broad chest who was carrying a small elven woman along on his shoulders. This was enough of a sight for her to stumble after the pair, wanting to figure out just what she was seeing.

Up close, Isabela recognized Merrill, holding a frozen coffee drink that seemed to be mostly made of whipped cream. She was riding along on Hawke’s shoulders, her legs carefully secure under his arms and bare feet hooked behind him for support. The pirate recognized the pair’s pjs, as well as the large grey hoodie that was wrapped around Merrill’s shoulders like a cape, and a warm fuzzy feeling filled her gut.

“Hey you two!” she called after them, dashing to catch up to the pair even as Hawke slowed ahead of her and turned them around.

“Oh, Isabela. Hullo. We’re on an adventure.” Merrill cooed proudly, leaning forward a little to smile at her friend.

Hawke nodded, not completely verbal at this point in the evening. His essay was happily abandoned to be worked on again in the morning, and he’d been letting Merrill babble their whole trip. As a courtesy – and a vague form of communication – he held forward his icy fruit drink towards Isabela, offering her a sip. The pirate tended to always want a sip of whatever most of them were drinking, even if she hated it, so Aeyin had gotten in the habit of offering her one just whenever.

A slow smile curled on Isabela’s features as she took a sip of the offered slurpee and gave a hum of approval. “And just where might this adventure be taking you two?”

“The park, I think. Then home.” Merrill suggested, handing her cup down to Hawke so he could pass it to Isabela to give her a sip of that as well. “Would you like to come along?”

“Oh I don’t know. You have the best ride and I’d be walking, kitten.” Isabela found the offer mighty tempting, but the most tempting part so far was the idea of not having to walk home. She really didn’t feel like dealing with cabs all of the sudden.

Hawke looked at her, giving a slow blink before a lazy smile took on his features, “I could probably carry you both, honestly. You’d have to put up with piggyback, though.”

Isabela’s eyes lit up with joy at the prospect. “Oh, oh you’re on.” she giggled, and found that giggle unable to stop, watching Hawke hand his slurpee up to Merrill to hold, turning and bending his knees some for his newest passenger.

The three looked even weirder, wandering together in the middle of the night. Isabela’s legs hooked around Hawke one way and Merrill’s the other, and her head was resting against Merrill’s thigh, chin on one of the man’s broad shoulders. His grip on her thighs was probably all that kept her from sliding off when she fell asleep on the ride home. Merrill, that seemed more a combination of his force magic and careful walking. They could use the sleep. He didn’t wake either of them till they made it home and he found the doorway became much trickier with passengers.

Stumbling up to their rooms, mostly melted but nearly finished drinks in hand, it felt like a much better night than it had started.


End file.
